Opposites Attract
by Christianette1
Summary: Even in the good L/J fanfics, people include the Dark Arts. I know you probably should, since you know their future, but this is about Lilly and James falling in love. Fluff and stuff, love/hate... what can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic!
1. Taking Notice

**Disclaimer:** Anyone you recognize is probably J.K. Rowling's creation. Anyone you don't recognize is probably mine, though I haven't added anyone in yet... and I might not, let's see how it goes.  
  
**A/N:** This is my first attempt at fanfics of any kind, so please review! Any advice or comments (nice, please!) would be appreciated. A couple notes, just in case: Anything in _italics_ are their thoughts, anything in **bold** is emphasized, and anywhere you see a row of ~~, the point of view changes.  
  
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Lily sighed and put her head in her hands. This was the 4th time she'd attempted that darn Transfiguration homework, and **couldn't** figure it out! She closed her eyes and let out a loud sigh. She'd always been horrible at Transfiguration, but only two weeks into her 7th year and she already knew she wasn't getting high marks. And this homework was the least of her problems...  
  
_'Oh, stop feeling sorry for yourself!'_ Lily scolded herself inwardly. She knew that if she began the long list of things about herself and her life that she'd change, it would never end.  
  
_'Just try the problem again.'_ Another sigh. No matter how many different ways she went about it, Lily knew she just couldn't get it. She packed up her books and left the library, heading for the Gryffindor tower.  
  
When she reached the entrance, she was greeted with, "Password, dearie?" from the fat lady, answered by, "linguine," and the portrait swung open. Lily entered the loud, crowded Common Room, and began to make her way around everyone. The fireplace was lit, and people were enjoying the warm atmosphere. Every armchair and every comfortable couch was filled with chattering teenagers; the room was all too much for Lily. Though she was pretty good at slipping through crowds pretty much unseen, it wasn't easy to step around people's conversations or to avoid games of Exploding Snap and Wizard's Chess.  
  
She made her way towards the staircase where she could escape to her dorm room, shut the door, and be safe. She was almost there when someone stepped in front of her, blocking her way. When she looked up from the floor, she came face to face with the infamous Sirius Black. He was smiling wickedly, and Lily was getting nervous.  
  
"Excuse me, please," she said quietly. Without a word, he stepped aside, still grinning. But as she walked by, she felt something cold and slimy slide down her back. Lily screamed, Sirius laughed, and suddenly everyone was laughing, staring, and pointing at her. Lily glared at Sirius, then burst into tears and ran past him up the stairs.  
  
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James sat in one of the armed chairs, discussing Quidditch with his buddies: Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew, the Marauders. Close to the warm fire, with a group of girls perched on the arms of surrounding chairs and couches, hanging on his every word, James was having a normal evening.  
  
Then, something unexpected happened. Sirius jokingly pushed the two girls that had been inhabiting his lap off, stood up, and walked towards the girl's staircase. James casually looked on, confused. He saw a girl -- what was her name again? -- walk toward Sirius. Oh, that's right, she was Lily Evans, Head Girl. He should've recognized her right away, he was Head Boy; but she didn't talk much, and didn't seem to have many friends. Why was Sirius talking to her?  
  
Suddenly, he snapped out of his subconscious thinking when he heard a scream. He looked up, concerned, to see Lily Evans running upstairs clutching at her back, and Sirius laughing hysterically. In his hand, he held a small vial with a bit of -- what was it? -- oh no... It was his (Sirius's) own concoction. A bit of Sam's Super-Slimy Sticky Sludge from the joke shop in Hogsmeade, added to a little maple syrup.  
  
_'Oh no! He didn't...'_ groaned James, as chatter again filled the room and people forgot about the "invisible" girl. _'I'm going to have to talk with him.'_ He got up out of his chair.  
  
"Sirius, c'mere," he said. There was an odd sternness to his voice that he didn't recognize. Sirius noticed it.  
  
"Aww, come on man, it was just a joke... and it was funny!" he said, still chuckling.  
  
"Just come here. It's late anyway, the room will start clearing out soon."  
  
With a moan, Sirius followed James to their dorm. "What's up? You've never gotten angry with any pranks I've ever pulled, even on girls..."  
  
"I know, but those girls haven't been Lily Evans. She's Head Girl. And she's never done anything to get noticed by the rest of us, I don't think she wants to. You shouldn't have done that...what's she ever do to you?"  
  
Sirius got a weird look on his face. Then it started to break into a grin. "You like her, don't you...?" It was more of a statement than a question.  
  
"No! Of course not! Look around... with all that other girls in this school, why would I bother with her?"  
  
Sirius shrugged. "That's kinda what I was wondering." He flopped on his bed, closed the curtains, and murmured "goodnight." Within thirty seconds, James could hear him snoring.  
  
He flopped on his own bed, and drew the curtains shut. But he couldn't fall asleep. All he could think of was Lily, screaming and running up the stairs. _'Gosh she's pretty,'_ he thought. _'Oh please,'_ the devil's advocate part of his mind said, _'How could you, the most popular boy in school, like Lily Evans, the shyest, quietest, not-so-popular girl in school? You've got everything going for you, why waste it on her? She's not even worth dreaming about.'_  
  
_'Oh, shut up,'_ he admonished his advocate. 'I can dream about anyone I please.' He was on his back, hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. He closed his eyes... there was her face. He blinked and shook his head, but her face remained. _'I don't like her, I can't like her! She's not even close to my type. She's really pretty. But she's so quiet. Sirius shouldn't have done that. She didn't want to be noticed. I've got to do something. I'll apologize for him... and offer to do her a favor, I guess. No, I don't like her! Do I? But, I don't think we'd ever get along. Oh well, I'll talk to her tomorrow, anyway. Everyone deserves a chance..'_ And with that, he fell asleep.  
  
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Lily was on her bed, her face buried in a pillow. Tissues were clutched in her hand, and she was still crying. _'Why!?'_ she kept asking, _'why did he do that to me? I've never done anything to him, ever!'_ She thought about this for a while. She knew Sirius teased anyone and everyone, but it wasn't fair.  
  
_'All those faces, staring at me... laughing too... it was horrible.'_ That was all she could picture, the faces. But after a while all the laughing and staring faces blurred together in her mind. Except one.  
  
One face stood out from the others. She knew the face well... it was James Potter, the guy she's had a crush on for six going on seven years. _'Why is he even looking at me?'_ She wondered. Then she noticed that he wasn't laughing. He was staring, yes, but his look was one of... _'concern? No way. He couldn't be, he's never looked my way before.'_ Lily didn't know. All she knew was that she was hurt and embarrassed. Finally, exhausted from crying, she fell asleep to the sound of her own sniffling. She wasn't looking forward to tomorrow.   



	2. Making Aquaintance

**Disclaimer:** Anyone you recognize is probably J.K. Rowling's creation. Anyone you don't recognize is probably mine, a.k.a. Adrianne Davenport and Theresa Huntwood, though they're not important yet... let's see how it goes.  
  
**A/N:** Any...kind... criticism you have for me would be great. I want to know how I can make my stories better. Just don't totally diss me, okay? If you don't like it, don't read it! A couple notes, just in case: Anything in _italics_ are their thoughts, anything in **bold** is emphasized, and anywhere you see a row of ~~, the point of view changes.  
  
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Morning came all too soon for James's comfort. _'What the heck am I going to say to her? "Sorry my friend embarrassed you yesterday, want to be friends?" Like that will go over real well...'_  
  
He worried while he got up, showered, and dressed, and kept worrying while he made his way down to the Common Room. He was one of the earlier risers that morning since he hadn't been able to fall back asleep. The only others up were a couple of first-years playing Exploding Snap in the corner.  
  
He sat down on the couch, unable to relax. After about half-an-hour, a slow, steady trickle of sleepy Gryffindors began to make their way through the Common Room on their way to the Great Hall for breakfast.  
  
_'Well, I guess now is as good a time as any,'_ James decided. He got up from the couch and slowly made his way up the girl's staircase, heart pounding. _'What's wrong with me?'_ he wondered. _'I'm just apologizing and doing her a favor.'_ Still, his hands were getting a little sweaty and shaking some. He finally reached the seventh year girl's dorm. Taking a deep breath, he knocked...  
  
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Lily awoke to the sound of knocking on her door. She wasn't too pleased, she'd had a pretty sleepless night and had only recently finally fallen asleep. She got up, put on her robe, and went to answer the door, grumbling.  
  
When she opened the door, staring right into her eyes was... James? Lily screamed and slammed the door in his face.  
  
"Ow!" she heard him yell.  
  
_'Oh my gosh, I just hit him in the face! Good job, Lily, real smooth.'_ She cautiously opened the door again. "Did I hit you?" she asked, her face almost as red as her fiery hair.  
  
"No, but my ears hurt. You have quite a scream..." he said, rubbing his ears.  
  
"Sorry..." Lily didn't really know what else to say. They were quite for a minute, then she finally broke the silence. "So, um... why are you here?"  
  
"Oh right," James reddened slightly. "Look, I'm really sorry about what happened yesterday. No one knew Sirius was going to do that. So, I guess I'm just really sorry he did that to you, and if there's anything I can do to make it up to you, I will."  
  
Lily hesitated. "Well, um, I don't really know what to say... thanks for, caring? I guess." She knew what she wanted to ask him. James was the best Transfiguration student in the school, and a peer tutor was the one thing she hadn't tried. She gathered her courage and said, "Well, actually, there is something you could do for me." _'Just take a deep breath and ask. The worst he can say is no.'_ "Could you tutor me in Transfiguration? I just can't seem to get it, any of it."  
  
_'She's cute when she's nervous,'_ James thought, relaxing at her request. "Yeah, sure, I can tutor you. Do you want to start tonight?"  
  
Lily nodded. "Yeah, that's be great, thanks."  
  
"Ok, I'll meet up with you after dinner and we'll find an empty classroom to practice in. Sound good?"  
  
"Sure." _'I can't believe he's talking to me!'_  
  
"Cool." _'She's so nervous! It's cute...'_  
  
"Ok, see you later." _'He's so nice.'_  
  
"Bye." _'She's gorgeous...'_ James turned around and walked away. He heard Lily shut the door behind him. His heart was racing. _'My gosh, I do like her! I do! And I'm **tutoring** her! I am tutoring the prettiest, cutest, nicest girl in school!'_ He ran down the stairs, hoping the day would go by quickly.  
  
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Lily's head was spinning. _'He did not just say he would tutor me... he couldn't have! But, he did! The most popular boy in school is going to tutor me!'_ "YES!" she yelled. The two other girls in her dorm, Adrianne Davenport and Theresa Huntwood, just gave her weird looks on their way out of the door. Lily didn't care. She was in a whirlwind of happiness as she went to get ready for the day, thinking, _'I can't wait for tonight!'_  



	3. The Tutoring Session

Disclaimer: Anyone you recognize is probably J.K. Rowling's creation. Anyone you don't recognize is probably mine, a.k.a. Adrianne Davenport and Theresa Huntwood, though they're not important yet... let's see how it goes.  
  
A/N: Fluffy chapter! And hopefully the first of many...:) I'm a hopeless romantic, can you tell? A couple notes, just in case: Anything in italics are their thoughts, anything in bold is emphasized, and anywhere you see a row of ~~, the point of view changes.  
  
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All day long, Lily and James looked forward to the tutoring session that evening. He looked at her from the back of the room during Transfiguration, and she watched him during Charms. Neither could concentrate during their classes, (to the frustration of their professors), and the day went slower than they would've liked. As the day wore on, time seemed to slow down more and more. Dinner took forever... finally, it was time.  
  
James walked from his seat to the other end of the Gryffindor table, where Lily was sitting alone, nose buried in a book. He cleared his throat. "Hey, Lily? Ready to go?"  
  
Lily looked up, reddening as she spoke. "Um, yeah, sure... I mean, okay." She gathered her books and got up, and they left the Great Hall.  
  
They wandered the halls until they found an empty classroom. "This'll do," said James as they entered. "Ok, where should we begin?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know," moaned Lily, "Anywhere and everywhere. I just don't get it!"  
  
"Alright, don't get upset, let's start with something easy. Hmm... can we borrow your hair scrunchie? I'll turn it back when we're done." Lily took it out of her hair and handed it to him. _'Wow, her hair is **long**... and **red**!'_ "Ok, great. Why don't you try turning it into... a flower. Make it a lily." He winked at her.  
  
Lily smiled weakly. She tried, several times, saying, "Scrunchimalilymus!" and flicking her wrist, but it didn't even move. Many, many times she tried, but in vain.  
  
"Here, you're doing it wrong," said James. He moved behind her and reached around to take her wand-hand in his. "Mph, I can't see around your hair," he laughed. With his free hand, he brushed her hair over her opposite shoulder. "That's better. Now watch. Scrunchimalilymus!" he commanded with a flick of their wrists. In place of the scrunchie now lay a beautiful white lily. "See? It's not so hard," he said softly, putting his other arm around her waist.  
  
Lily whirled around in his arms to face him, exclaiming, "I can't believe it! We did it!" Without warning, she jumped on him and wrapped him in a hug. Then, embarrassed at what she had done, she let go suddenly and quickly turned around, picking up the lily, her face matching her hair. "I mean, thanks."  
  
James walked up behind her, put both arms around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder. Looking at the lily in her hand, he whispered, "You know what? that lily's almost as pretty as this one... but not quite," he added, giving her a quick squeeze.  
  
"I'm sorry, I got carried away," said Lily. There was a tremble in her voice, and her shoulders began to shake. _'Lily! Why are you crying? You look like an idiot, crying in front of him, stop it.'_ But though she tried to control her tears, they just kept slowly sliding down her cheeks.  
  
"Hey, calm down," James said as he slowly turned her to face him. Her head was down and her red hair was covering her face. Gently, James brushed it behind her ear, and tilted her chin up. "Gosh, you're gorgeous," he breathed, his other arm around her waist as he pulled her closer to him. Lily brought her arms up and placed them around his neck. For a few seconds, they just looked into each other's eyes. But then, still seeing tears in her beautiful, green eyes, James leaned down and kissed her softly.  
  
Lily felt an electric shock go through her body. The guy she had liked for almost seven years had just given her her first kiss! She kissed James back as he pulled her ever closer, until there seemed to be no room left between them. She melted into his arms, wishing it would never end. When they finally broke apart, both were breathless.  
  
James smiled and said sheepishly, "Do you want to go out with me?"   
  
Lily laughed, "What choice do I have? I just told you yes."  
  
"Well," said James, putting his arm around her, "I think that's enough of a...er...lesson for tonight. We'd better get back to the tower."  
  
She leaned her head on his shoulder, and they walked back. Once in the Common Room, he kissed her again, lightly; they said goodnight and went their separate ways. Both knew they were going to dream well. :)  



	4. It's Really Happening

**Disclaimer:** Anyone you recognize is probably J.K. Rowling's creation. Anyone you don't recognize is probably mine, a.k.a. Andrea Davenport and Theresa Huntwood. (A note about them. Both are actually nice, but Andrea doesn't know Lily very well/ Theresa used to be friends with her, and they still kind of are, but they've kinda grown apart.)  
  
**A/N:** So, did you like the fluff? There will be more! But I'm not sure in this chappie... this is more of a "fall-back and regroup" chappie. Enjoy! A couple notes, just in case: Anything in _italics_ are their thoughts, anything in **bold** is emphasized, and anywhere you see a row of ~~, the point of view changes.  
  
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James received a rude awakening the next morning. "Hey, man! How was the tutoring thing with what's-her-name last night? Is she as stupid as she looked with stuff down her shirt?"  
  
James glared at Sirius. "For your information, it went very well. And she's not stupid, she's got A's in all her classes except Transfiguration. She's really shy, that's all, and it wasn't cool for you to do that to her. And if you pull that kind of trick on her again, I swear, Sirius Black, I'll come after you... after all, I know where you live."  
  
"Whoa!" exclaimed Sirius, thoroughly confused. "Wait a sec. Where did that come from? Two days ago you didn't barely knew her name. Why so defensive all of a sudden? It's not like she's your girlfriend or anything..."  
  
James looked at Sirius with twinkling eyes and said, "Actually, Sirius, you're the first to figure out my secret. The tutoring session went _very_ well... I am now the proud boyfriend of Lily Evans, Head Girl." He beamed.  
  
"WHAT!?!" Sirius yelled. It was just too much for him to take in all at once. "You're joking, right?!"  
  
James looked Sirius seriously (no pun intended!:)) in the eye, saying, "I am totally serious, and if you don't believe me, just ask her. But I'm not joking. I asked Lily out last night, and you'd better believe it."  
  
Sirius was speechless, for once. When he regained his ability to speak, he looked at James incredulously and said, "You're not kidding, I can't believe you're not kidding! Ok, man, it's your choice. But I don't know why you'd choose her. Oh well, I give it a week." He shook his head and left the room.  
  
"Gee, thanks for the support," muttered James, as he headed for the shower.  
  
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Lily woke up slowly, not wanting to leave her dreams. She dreamed that she had actually kissed James Potter, and he had asked her out! _Sigh_. If only it were true... she sat up suddenly. It was true! She had has a tutoring session with James, resulting in him kissing her. It was all true. She flopped back in bed, smiling. Today would be a good day. She had a boyfriend. "LILY EVANS HAS A BOYFRIEND!!!!" she yelled, jumping out of bed and heading for the bathroom. On her way, she was stopped by Theresa motioning for her to come over to her. (She was just waking up).  
  
"What did you say?" asked Theresa groggily. "You have a what?"  
  
"A boyfriend." Lily announced proudly. "I am dating James Potter!"  
  
Theresa squealed. "You're joking! You can't be serious!" Lily smiled. "Oh my gosh! You are serious! You're dating James Potter!?!" Again, Lily nodded. Another squeal from Theresa. "No way! No way, no way, no way!!" For about ten long minutes Lily stood there smiling and nodding, and Theresa carried on, ranting. When she finally quieted down, Lily continued to the bathroom. She waited outside for about 15 minutes waiting for Andrea to get out of the bathroom... she always took her time.  
  
When Andrea came out, she asked Lily, "Did I hear what I thought I heard? Are you really going out with James Potter?" Lily nodded.  
  
"But pleeease don't go on a rant like Theresa did. I can't take another squeal..." Lily pretended to groan.  
  
Andrea laughed. "Well, all I can say is, you're really lucky. I hope the best for you. Here, I'll get out of your way so you can have the bathroom."  
  
"Thanks." Lily went into the bathroom. When she had showered, dressed, and blow-dried her hair, she came back into the bedroom to do her hair. Feeling daring, she enchanted her hair ribbon to sparkle, and walked confidently downstairs. James was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"Good morning," he said, sounding a little unsure of himself. Lily smiled, thinking, _`He's nervous?! I've never had a boyfriend before, I don't even know how to do this...'_ She smiled at him, and took his left hand in hers when she reached the bottom. He slid his right arm around her waist. "Shall we?" he asked. Lily nodded, smiling. They left the Common Room together for breakfast.  



	5. The Long Anticipated Date :)

Disclaimer: Anyone you recognize is probably J.K. Rowling's creation. Anyone you don't recognize is probably mine, a.k.a. Andrea Davenport and Theresa Huntwood.   
  
A/N: So...it's really happening! Yay!!! Let's see where it goes from here... A couple notes, just in case: Anything in _italics_ are their thoughts, anything in **bold** is emphasized, and anywhere you see a row of ~~, the point of view changes.   
  
Lily and James entered the Great Hall together. As they passed other tables, they received many stares and glares; even some gasps. While James kept his cool, Lily's face seemed to burst into flame. She was thankful to reach their table, but began to get nervous again when James pulled her to his end of the table. She would have rather sit by herself or just with James. But he pulled her into the seat next to him when she began to protest.   
  
"What, are you scared of me?" James teased.   
  
"No, just your friends," Lily murmured, "Like him." There was Sirius coming towards them, grinning. He was towing Andrea behind him.   
  
"Morning all!" he bellowed. He sat down and pulled Andrew into his lap. "How is everyone this morning?" His eyes fell on Lily and James. "Well, what do we have here? The weirdest pair of lovebirds I've ever seen. What do you think, Remus?"   
  
"Oh, I don't know..." said Remus Lupin, blushing at his name. The shyest of the Marauders, he didn't like attention much. "Just let them be, Sirius."   
  
"So, where y'all going this weekend?" asked Andrea, easing the tension by changing the subject. "And is anyone besides me going to eat anything?" They looked down at their plates, realizing they'd been too busy talking to start eating. They began to pile up their plates with eggs, bacon, apple streusels, coffee cakes, and tons of other things from the table.   
  
"So?" asked Andrea, repeating her question, "What's everyone doing this weekend?"   
  
"Well, we're going to Hogsmeade," said Sirius, pointing at Andrea and himself, "But you knew that already."   
  
"I don't know what we're doing yet," said James, gesturing to Lily, "Maybe we'll join you... if you don't mind."   
  
"You guys can come, we won't mind the company," Sirius nodded.   
  
"Remus, what will you be up to?" asked Andrea, "You can come if you want to."   
  
Remus shook his head. "No, thanks, I'm meeting Theresa in the library. We've got to finish our Arithmancy essays."   
  
All with plans, they finished breakfast and left the Great Hall.  
  
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Saturday finally came. It was a gorgeous day. Lily woke up, dressed, and headed down to the Common Room. James was waiting for her, Sirius for Andrea, and Remus for Theresa. After a few minutes Andrea came downstairs, they said goodbye to Remus, and headed for Hogsmeade. It really was a good day for walking. They stopped and had a butterbeer at Three Broomsticks, then Sirius and Andrea took off, leaving Lily and James to talk.  
  
"So . . ." James said, not really knowing how to start the conversation. "I guess . . . I guess this is a date, kind of."  
  
Lily laughed to herself at his cute, awkward manner.  
  
"Yeah, I guess it is." She could tell they were both nervous.  
  
She looked him, right into his chocolate brown eyes. She could stay lost in those eyes forever.  
  
"Why me?" She asked quietly. "You could have any girl you wanted. Why notice me?"  
  
"Because you're pretty, you're beautiful, you're gorgeous . . ." James began, but Lily stopped him.  
  
"Is there anything else besides me being pretty?" Her voice was calm, dangerously calm. She was close to tears.  
  
"Sh-Sure," James started, not knowing how to get himself out of the hole he was digging, "You're . . .you're . . .pretty, and . . ." He didn't have time to say anything else, as he saw Lily stand up and rush out of the Three Broomsticks.  
  
James put his head in his hands, 'I just made a big mistake . . .' he thought. He paid and left, searching for Lily. She was nowhere to be found. Finally, he made his way back to Hogwarts.  
  
When he entered the Common Room, he saw through the swarm of people. Lily was sitting in a chair facing the fire, away from him. He walked over and put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Lily, can we talk?" His voice was uncertain and shaky.  
  
Lily shrugged him off, got up, and began to walk up to her dorm. James called after her.  
  
"Lily, wait, please!"  
  
He heard her yell from the top of the stairs, "When you prove to me that you like me for more than my looks, I might come back! And when you stop being shallow, you let me know! But as far as I'm concerned, James Potter, we're through!" and with that she ran into her room and slammed the door.  
  
For a few seconds all stayed quiet, every eye on James. Then the tension seemed to ease, conversations resumed, leaving James staring blankly up the stairs.   
  
Sirius came up behind him. "What'd you do?"  
  
"Doesn't matter." Said James, "I've lost her. Now all that matters is figuring out how I can get her back." "Don't worry about her," said Sirius, "there's plenty of other girls out there. And by the way I was right. It lasted less than a week."  
  
"SHUT UP," James snapped, turning back to face him, "You're wrong. I will get Lily back, I have to."   
  
"Why?" asked Sirius, confused. "What's so important about her?"  
  
"She's different," said James, looking again up the stairs where Lily had gone. "And I love her." With that, he went up the boy's stairs, deep in thought, leaving Sirius staring open-mouthed after him.  



	6. Take Me Back?

Disclaimer: Anyone you recognize is probably J.K. Rowling's creation. Anyone you don't recognize is probably mine, a.k.a. Andrea Davenport and Theresa Huntwood.  
  
A/N: I am sooooooo sorry that it took me this long to get this chappie up! I had the worst case of writer's block known to mankind, and my teachers are all deciding that the end of the year means projects... it may be a while before I get chappie 7 up too, I'm sorry, but I'll have more time this summer, I promise! A couple notes, just in case: Anything in italics are their thoughts, anything in bold is emphasized, and anywhere you see a row of ~~, the point of view changes.  
  
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James was sitting on his bed, facing the wall. He was thinking hard. _'I gotta get her back,' _he thought, _'I told Sirius I love her...I think I do, and I can't lose her.' _ He realized this was going kind of fast, he'd only been going out with her for a few days; but Lily Evans had captured James Potter's heart.  
  
_'What can I do?' _ He'd been asking himself this question for what seemed like forever, and he still couldn't come up with anything. _'She said I have to prove it to her...' _ Still nothing. He ran through the list in his mind, a list of typical gifts to give to any girl. _'Flowers, teddy bears, candy, jewelry...' _ Nothing seemed to click. Hours passed with James just staring at the wall, thinking. Finally, something hit him. Satisfied, he flopped into his pillow and was asleep in minutes.   
  
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Lily was leaning on her dresser, staring into the mirror. Her beautiful green eyes were filled with tears, but she was determined not to let them spill over. She heard the door slam and saw Theresa standing behind her in the mirror.   
  
"Why did you do that?!" she asked, concerned.   
  
"You heard me downstairs! He only liked me for my looks! What did you expect me to do?!" Lily yelled.   
  
"You did kind of catch him off-guard," Theresa said, gently. "You've only been going out with him for a few days. It wasn't really a fair question. He wants to go out with you to get to know you better."   
  
Lily looked at Theresa. "You think I was wrong? No! I wasn't wrong!" She flopped onto her bed and closed her curtains. _'I'm not wrong! He should have known more about me already.' _ Then another voice came into her head. _'You still like him though.'   
  
'No I don't!'   
  
'Yes you do. You know you're not being fair.'   
  
'But I...I...'   
'Just give him another chance. He'll prove to you that he really does like you, and then apologize.'_  
  
*Sigh* _'Alright. Hey, why am I talking to myself anyway?'   
  
'Cause the only person you'll listen to is yourself. And no, you're not schizophrenic.'   
'How did you know I was thinking that?'   
  
'I'm you, remember?'   
  
'Oh, right.'   
  
'Go to sleep.'   
  
'Ok, goodnight. Oh geez, I can't believe I just said goodnight to myself...' _With that thought, she drifted off to sleep.   
  
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The next day was Sunday. James got up and dressed quickly. He was planning to go to Hogsmeade right after breakfast. He headed down to the Great Hall. He was quiet all while eating, and everyone knew why, so they left him alone. When he finished, he got up to leave. Breakfast had been lonely with no Lily next to him. It felt weird, his left hand empty. He had gotten used to holding her hand. *Sigh* The sooner he could win her back the better. No one questioned him when he left. James was glad, he didn't want to answer to anyone right now. He ran back up to his room, grabbed his room, and flew for Hogsmeade.   
  
Once there, he didn't stop anywhere. He headed straight for "Madame Merusa's Odds 'n Ends." Once he was inside, he began to search. For what, he wasn't exactly sure, but once he found it, he would know.   
  
Searching up and down the aisles, he began to get discouraged, when he saw something flicker at the end of the aisle. When he reached it, his eyes widened. 'Perfect.'   
  
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Sunday night brought a sparsely filled Common Room. People were off in the library, cramming or finishing homework, and most of the first years had already gone to bed with sleepy eyes, so the Common Room was quieter and calmer than usual.   
  
Lily was grateful for the soothing atmosphere, as she sat near the fire in an armchair, by herself. Remus and Theresa had gone to the Astronomy Tower, Remus said that he wanted to tell her something. Lily was happy for her friend, she and Remus made the perfect couple. They looked so cute together. She didn't know where Andrea was, she and Sirius had been disappearing a lot lately. Lily assumed they were off to discover new closets somewhere. _'Oh well,'_ she thought, _'it gives me more time to think.'_  
  
She was staring into the fire when she felt a hand on her shoulder. When she looked up, there was James, looking down at her. His looked terrified. Lily looked stonily up at him and shrugged him off.   
  
"I don't want to talk to you, James," she said quietly.   
  
"Please, Lily. I really need to talk to you," James said. Lily noted the unsteadiness in his voice.   
  
"Alright," she sighed, turning around in her chair. "What?"   
  
"Not here," he said. "Come with me, outside, please?"   
  
Lily got up, grudgingly, and followed James out the portrait, through various hallways, and out the oak front doors to the grounds. She followed him to the lake, where finally he stopped.   
  
_'Just don't look into the brown eyes, Lily, or you'll melt.'_ She thought as he turned to face her. _'Dang, it never fails...'_  
  
"Lily, I..."  
  
"No, James, wait..." Lily interrupted, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you that, not yet anyway. I was being insecure, and I'm sorry. I really do like you..." she looked at her feet.   
  
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James's mouth dropped open. _'What did she just say?' _ His head was spinning. _'Why does she do this to me?' _ He felt relieved and much happier. He put one hand on her shoulder, and gently tipped up her chin with the other.   
  
"Thank you," he said quietly. Then he leaned down a kissed her softly. He pulled away suddenly. "Sorry," he said quickly. "I wasn't supposed to prove it to you that way."   
  
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He pulled a small box out of his pocket and handed it to Lily. She opened it, and gasped. Inside the box was a ring. It had a silver band, and the stone was gorgeous. It swirled with a fiery red and emerald green intertwining. Every once in a while a midnight blue would join them, then it would go away. It was beautiful.   
  
Lily looked up at James. For once, she was speechless. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come.   
  
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James just smiled. "Does this mean you'll take me back?"   
  
"Yes!" Lily shouted. She jumped on him and gave him a hug, this time unembarrassed. Then, she gave him and kiss and let go. Taking her hand, James felt happier than he had ever been. They walked back to the castle to share the news, together.   



	7. Preparation

**Disclaimer:** Anyone you recognize is probably J.K. Rowling's creation. Anyone you don't recognize is probably mine, a.k.a. Andrea Davenport and Theresa Huntwood.  
  
**A/N:** It didn't take me as long to write this one as I thought it would... I'm not really sure how long it will take me to write the next one either, but that's about the Christmas Ball! Oops, I gave it away...silly me...   
  
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A few days later, James and Lily were in the Great Hall eating breakfast, when a large brown owl swooped over them and dropped a letter. James caught it, and opened it to read it.  
  
"Lily, it's for you, too." Lily leaned over to read as well.  
  
**Miss Evans and Mr. Potter,  
As you are the Heads of the school, you will be in charge of planning our school's annual Christmas Ball. Please discuss ideas and owl me with a date for us to meet. I will expect an answer within a week.  
-Professor Dumbledore**  
  
"Oh, James, a Ball!" Lily breathed.  
  
"And we have to plan it..." James groaned.  
  
"We don't **have** to, we get to! This is going to be so much fun!" Lily squealed with delight and threw her arms around James's neck. "Let's get started!"  
  
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Lily and James worked hard all next week to make plans for the ball. After owling Dumbledore with their ideas, he owled them back saying he wanted to meet to finalize their plans. Using his password, "rigatoni," they met with him in his office. After much discussion, everything was set.  
  
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Two weeks later, the announcement came during breakfast.  
  
Using a magnifying charm, Dumbledore's voice boomed throughout the hall.  
  
"I am pleased to announce," he began, "that there will be a Christmas Ball on December 20th, the day before everyone goes home for the holidays. Fourth through seventh years may attend, younger students may attend but only if invited by an older student. Dress robes are not required, but this **is** a semi-formal ball. Enjoy!"  
  
A buzz of excitement went through the hall. Girls started whispering in groups, wondering if their crush would ask them or if they should consider asking them. Guys started glancing at the girls they wanted to ask, but were too shy. Couples looked at each other, smiling.  
  
The Marauders, Lily, and her friends were no exception. Lily glanced at Theresa and Andrea smiling evilly; they saw her and smiled, nodding. The Marauders had played a few harmless tricks on them lately, like charming their mirror to insult them or putting dungbombs in their room. This would be the perfect opportunity to get them back, harmlessly of course.  
  
"So," Lily started, "Andrea, who do you think you'll go to ball with?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know..." Andrea sighed, "I was thinking about asking Remus..." she glanced at him. Remus looked away, and on the other side of her Sirius's smile vanished. "What about you, Theresa?"  
  
"Well, **everyone** knows that I've got it for James," she said, fluttering her eyelashes at him from across the table. James's eye opened wide.  
  
"Oh no!" Lily groaned mockingly, "That leaves me with Sirius! Maybe I just won't go..." She buried her face in her hands, trying so hard not to laugh.  
  
The three boys looked at each other, a little bewildered. James spoke up. "Um, did we miss something?"  
  
The girls burst into a fit of giggles. "Oh please," Andrea choked out, gasping for breath, "you did **not** fall for that. You can't be that dense! My gosh, as if we don't already know who we're going with."  
  
"On a more serious note," Theresa said, regaining her composure, "when are we going robe shopping? We have nothing to wear!"  
  
Lily thought for a second. "Do you want a suggestion or a plan?"  
  
Everyone answered, "Plan."  
  
"Alright then. On Saturday we'll leave after breakfast for Hogsmeade, We'll all go robe-shopping first, then the guys can go to Zonko's while the girls buy shoes, get their hair and nails done, you know, the works. We'll meet at the Three Broomsticks by five. Sound like a plan?"  
  
She heard a resounding "Sounds good," from everyone.  
  
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For the girls, Saturday didn't come fast enough. For the guys, it came all too soon. Lily, Theresa, and Andrea literally had to go up to the guy's dorm and drag them downstairs. Finally, after much protest, they were on their way.  
  
Once in Hogsmeade, they went straight to get their dresses and robes. The guys, of course, found theirs right away. Remus found dark cobalt blue robes, Sirius, in jet black of course, and James in dark heathered gray robes.  
  
"Can we pleeeease leave?" Sirius whined.  
  
"Fine guys, go to Zonko's. You just won't get to see our dresses until the ball, then..." Andrea said, but the guys were already out the door. "Ok, girls, let's get started!"  
  
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For the next three hours, the girls tried on dress after dress. They traded and fought (good-naturedly) over dresses, only deciding later that it wasn't right for either of them. Finally, they emerged from the dressing rooms for the last time. When they saw what the others were wearing, they squealed with delight! Calling the shopkeeper over, she fitted their robes for them. They paid and left for the Three Broomsticks... it was almost five.  
  
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When they got there, Sirius, Remus, and James were already seated and waiting for them. The girls came over and sat down.  
  
"Sure took you long enough, what did you do, try on every single dress in the store?" James asked, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Pretty close," Lily admitted, smiling. "We're tired now, but it was worth it!" She put her head on the table, using her arms as a pillow, and closed her eyes.  
  
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I could fall asleep right here and now..." Theresa said, letting her head rest on Remus's shoulder.  
  
"Boys, we seem to have a problem," Sirius said, faking concern. Andrea's head was on his shoulder, her eyes were closed as well. "If these ladies fall asleep, we'll have no way to get them back to the castle. What do you propose?"  
  
James got a twinkle in his eye. Without a word, he stood up and picked up a protesting Lily. Remus and Sirius followed suit. Carrying three blushing and protesting girls, along with all their baggage and receiving strange looks from the people in the shop, they left. Finding their broomsticks, they got on, still holding the sleepy girls in their arms, and flew back to the castle. 


	8. Christmastime

bDisclaimer:/b see foreword JBR  
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bA/N:/b One word... FLUFF!!! Happy, happy me... Enjoy your reading! By the way, school ends for my in 8 days, but then I got finals, so it'll be a little while, few weeks, until I get the next chappie out... sorry, but it's not my fault... J yell at my teachers! BR  
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Everyone was in a rush. It was one hour before the Christmas Ball, and people were scurrying around, taking care of final details and getting themselves ready. BR  
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In the Common Room, most of the boys were sitting and waiting. A few were still getting ready, but most were just waiting for their dates to come downstairs. The girls, of course were not nearly ready yet. They were upstairs, rushing around their rooms, desperately trying to get ready in time. BR  
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In the 7th year girl's dorm, chaos reigned supreme. Theresa, Andrea, and Lily were trying to get themselves as well as each other ready, and all were trying to get into the bathroom at once. They had spent the morning in Hogsmeade, getting their nails done, buying shoes and buying makeup. They arrived home with two hours to spare. After arguing about who would be first in the shower, they all got in and out within an hour. Now, in the last hour, they ran around like chickens with their heads cut off. Finally, they decided they were ready, (with five minutes to spare). Together, they made their way downstairs. BR  
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James, Sirius, and Remus were sitting near the fire in the Common Room, staring towards the girl's staircase, waiting. They had been waiting for an hour when they heard familiar giggling coming down the stairs. They stood up, each feeling a little nervous. One by one, as the girls came into view, their jaws dropped. What they saw in front of them was a picture of three, drop-dead gorgeous ladies, their dates. BR  
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Remus gaped at Theresa. Her strawberry-blonde hair was pulled up into simple high ponytail, but it flowed down in tight ringlets and a few curls graced her face. Her blue eyes danced as she looked back at him. Her dress was a deep cherry red. It was sleeveless, with a V-neck, and was fitted to her body. The hem was slanted from her right mid-thigh to her left knee. Her high-heeled sandals matched her dress, and she had a light cherry-colored shimmering shawl about her shoulders. She stepped down, took Remus's arm, kissed him on the cheek, and turned to wait for the others. BR  
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Sirius nearly fell over when he saw Andrea. Her black hair was French braided, hanging down past her shoulders. She was wearing a midnight blue dress which had a high neck in front, but no back. Though it wasn't a full skirt, it went down to her ankles, just short of her black stiletto sandals. She had a black, fringed shawl around her, and her brown eyes shone as she stepped down. She looked a little cold, so Sirius walked to her, put his arms around her, and kissed her hair. They then waited for Lily to join James. BR  
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I'I am looking into the eyes of an angel,'/I thought James. His pulse quickened as well as his breathing as he looked at Lily. She seemed to float towards him down the stairs. The top half of her beautiful red hair was pulled back into a waterfall ponytail, and when it rejoined the rest of her hair it all cascaded down her back in a glossy mane. She had charmed it to shimmer lightly; he could see the glittery sparkle it gave off when the light hit it. She was dressed in a pure white silky gown. With sleeves off the shoulders, they came to a point on the back of each hand. The sleeves and bodice were form fitting, but at the waist the skirt became full and flowing down to the floor. She was not wearing a shawl, but she looked regal and elegant with her head held high. Her emerald green eyes sparkled as she gazed into his. He felt as if he would melt. Holding her skirt up as she came down the stairs so she wouldn't fall, he could see her feet daintily clad in white high-heeled sandals. She was absolutely breathtaking. James dropped to one knee, smiling. BR  
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Lily stepped down, and walked toward James. BR  
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"May I have the honor of escorting this lovely flower to the ball?" she heard him ask. BR  
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"Why of course," she replied. As he stood up and offered his arm, Lily felt a little nervous. I'I've never done this before, what if I mess up?' /IBR  
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Almost as if reading her thoughts, he gave her arm a quick squeeze and said, "I'm nervous too, but we'll be fine, don't worry." With that, they joined their friends and headed down the stairs. BR  
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When they walked into the Great Hall, Lily gasped. She had never seen it look this beautiful! The ceiling was enchanted to look like it was snowing, there were beautifully decorated Christmas trees in various corners of the room, lights were draped everywhere, and holly and mistletoe adorned the walls. Some mistletoe however, was enchanted to float around the room, randomly choosing people to follow around until they were kissed. Lily didn't notice this, but James did. BR  
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"Um, Lily? Look up," he said with a smile. BR  
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She did, saw the mistletoe, but had no time to protest as James leaned down and kissed her lightly. The mistletoe sped off in a different direction. Lily laughed. BR  
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The room was pretty well filled by now, so Dumbledore got up to begin the ball. BR  
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"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this year's Christmas Ball! I am pleased to announce that our very own Head Boy and Girl will now open the Ball. Will Lily and James please step onto the floor for the first dance?" BR  
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James reached over and took Lily's hand to lead her out onto the dance floor. It was cold. He gave it a quick squeeze and smiled at her before pulling her out with him. She smiled back, nervous, and blushed as they made their way into the center of the floor. James turned to Lily and gently put his hands on her hips. She slowly reached up and put her arms around his neck. The music began. BR  
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James began to move, taking her with him. Lily had never really danced before, only with relatives at a wedding or something. But, she found that she was pretty good at it. Before she knew it, the song was over and other couples were moving out onto the floor with them. Lily smiled and looked back at James. He was gazing deeply into her eyes, almost as if he were looking for something in her, but he was smiling. They continued to dance for at least another two hours, without stopping. When James looked at Lily, he noticed that she looked exhausted. BR  
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"Want to go sit down for a minute?" he asked. She nodded, and they walked over to a table and sat down. "You look tired already," he commented, "Do you want something to drink?" BR  
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"Yes, please. That would be great. I am tired," she admitted. James got up to go get her a drink, and Lily just watched all the dancing couples. Sirius was trying to breakdance, and Andrea was laughing at him. Remus and Theresa were dancing; both blushing, but seemed to have a good time. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder. BR  
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When she turned around, there was Snape, grinning lopsidedly. "What do you want?" she asked, a little uncertain. BR  
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"This," he said as he sat down, reached over, pulled her face toward him, and began to kiss her. BR  
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Lily struggled, trying to get away, but he was too strong. That was, however, only until suddenly he was pulled away from her. Then, she felt someone help her up from behind. When she turned around, she saw James. I'Oh no,'/I she panicked, I'what does he think I did?' /IWhen he put his hand up to her cheek, she flinched, when she realized that he was brushing away tears. Only then did she know she was crying. BR  
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Without a word, he took her hand and led her out of the Great Hall, out the doors, and out to the lake. When he turned to face her again, his eyes were beginning to fill with tears. BR  
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"I'm not going to get angry until I find out why that happened," he said quietly, his voice shaking a little. BR  
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Lily began slowly, beginning with James leaving to get her a drink and ending with James standing her up from the table. By the time she was done, tears were streaming down her cheeks. She had never been taken advantage of like that before! The only other person in the world she had ever really kissed was James. She buried her face in her hands and sat down on the ground. She wanted to die; the humiliation she had faced was just too much. She felt James sit down beside her, pick her up, and set her in his lap. Rocking her like a baby, he whispered, "Good. I didn't want to think I had lost you. I love you, Lily." BR  
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She looked up at him with a tearstained face. "I... I love you too, James." The thought frightened her. She didn't know if she was ready to let down her guard just yet. But she felt James's strong arms around her, holding her tight, and she had never felt so safe. She relaxed, feeling herself doze off, until she jerked awake at James lifting her off the ground. BR  
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"What are you doing?" she asked, confused. BR  
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"You're shivering, we're going inside," he replied simply. He carried her inside, through hallways and up flights of stairs, and into the Common Room. He sat down on one of the couches, propped his back up against the arm, and put his feet up as well. Still holding her, he shifted her so that she was leaning against him, with his arms around her waist. As her head rested on his shoulder, he leaned into her hair and breathed in pure Lily. He was in heaven. BR  
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They stayed like this for a while, losing all track of time. Then, Lily sat up, turned around, and looked at James. "I love you," she said softly, but determinedly, then her arms encircled his neck and she began to kiss him. I 'I really do love him,'/I she knew it as they deepened the kiss. Again, nothing seemed to exist except the two of them. Time didn't exist; all that existed was the two of them, holding each other close. Finally, both breathless, they parted. Both blushed as applause and catcalls filled the room. Everyone had returned from the ball while they had been...er...busy. Laughing, Lily and James stood up, and James looked at his watch and showed it to Lily. It was two in the morning. He gave Lily one more hug and one more kiss, then they headed their separate ways to bed. Multiple friends followed each, all planning to bombard them with questions until they told all. J 


End file.
